DE102022117975A1 - Can closing arrangement, can filling system and method for closing cans - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a can closing arrangement (3) with a closing device arranged in a product space (4) for closing cans (6), in particular beverage cans, with a can lid (5) and a lid feeding device (14) connected to the product space (4), wherein the lid feed device (14) has a feed tunnel (13), via which the product space (4) is connected to a sterilization device (11) for sterilizing the can lids (5). According to the invention, a sterile gas generation system (16) is provided, which is connected on the output side to the supply tunnel (13) via a line (17) carrying sterile gas.

Description

The present invention relates to a can closing arrangement with a closing device arranged in a product space for closing cans with a can lid and a lid feed device connected to the product space, the lid feed device having a feed tunnel via which the product space is connected to a sterilization device for sterilizing the can lids.

The invention relates in particular to can closing arrangements in the field of food technology. Against this background, the cans are preferably beverage cans which are filled with a food-grade filling medium. This food-technical filling medium can be, for example, water, juices, beer or the like. Accordingly, liquid filling media or drinks are preferably provided. However, the invention is not limited to such filling media. For example, the cans can also have solid components, in particular in addition to the liquid filling media. These are in particular pieces of fruit, pulp or the like.

It is known from practice that the cans are first filled in a filling device and then fed to a can closing arrangement arranged behind the filling device for closing. Within this can closing arrangement, a can lid is then placed on the cans and the can is closed by connecting the can lid to the can.

In the field of food technology, it can also be of particular importance that the filling media are not only filled into the cans in a sterile manner for hygienic reasons, but that the cans filled in this way are also kept sterile until they are closed. For this purpose, it can be provided that the cans are sterilized before filling and guided to the can closing arrangement in a sterile atmosphere. This sterile atmosphere can be created, for example, by flushing the cans with a sterile gas, e.g. sterile air, during filling and during transport to the sealer.

The can lids are fed to the product room separately from the cans and are usually not sterilized. Against this background, it is known from practice that the can lids are separated and then sterilized in a sterilization device. However, the can lids are then fed to the product space via a feed tunnel, whereby the feed tunnel is not set up to be sterile from a hygienic point of view. In view of this, it is not possible to close the cans in a completely sterile manner. This can lead to particularly susceptible filling media having to be subsequently pasteurized in the sealed can in order to ensure sufficient germ killing.

However, integrating additional devices for killing germs and/or bacteria involves a lot of production effort and also requires larger and more expensive systems.

The invention is based on the object of specifying a can closing arrangement which enables sterile closing of cans and in particular can dispense with the integration of additional devices for killing germs, such as a pasteurizer.

The object and solution to this problem is a can filling system according to claim 1.

According to the invention it is provided that a sterile gas generation system is provided, which is connected to the supply tunnel on the output side via a line carrying sterile gas.

According to such an embodiment, a line carrying sterile gas connects to the supply tunnel behind the sterilization device and enables sterile gas to be supplied into the supply tunnel. With the help of such a configuration, it is possible to guide the can lids previously sterilized in the sterilization device in a sterile manner within the feed tunnel, so that it is ensured that the cans in the product space can be closed with sterile can lids. The arrangement behind the sterilization device can also ensure that the sterile gas cannot be contaminated by non-sterilized can lids within the sterilization device. Rather, sterilization first makes it possible to kill germs and then enables sterile transport of the can lids by flushing them with sterile gas.

In this context, the feed tunnel is set up for feeding the can lids from the sterilization device into the product space and preferably has no further treatment devices for treating the can lids. Of course, it is within the scope of the invention that the feed tunnel is designed with cleaning devices which enable the feed tunnel itself to be cleaned.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the feed tunnel has at least one guide track, the guide track being surrounded by a flushing channel and the flushing channel being connected to the line carrying sterile gas. In this context, the guideway describes the area of the feed tunnel along which the can lids are moved. The flushing channel encloses the guide track so that the sterile gas also surrounds the can lids during transport. This ensures that the can lids are shielded from the outside by the sterile gas. Such a configuration is particularly useful in order to pass the can lids through dirty areas of the can closing arrangement or the surrounding space during transport.

In principle, it is also within the scope of the invention that several, for example two, guideways are arranged within a feed tunnel. According to such a configuration, the rinsing channel then encloses both guide tracks and also runs between the individual guide tracks in order to keep them separated from one another in a sterile manner.

According to an alternative embodiment, it is also possible to provide several feed tunnels, each of which is designed with a guideway or possibly also with several guideways. Such a configuration is particularly useful if several, in particular more than two, parallel sealing tracks are provided, so that several cans can be closed next to each other. Based on such a configuration, the sterile gas generation system is then connected to the individual supply tunnels or the flushing channels of the supply tunnels with a line carrying sterile gas.

A further development of the invention provides that the sterile gas generation system is set up to sterilize the can lids with a chemical sterilizing agent. In particular, it can be a sterile gas generation system that enables aseptic sterilization. In practice, sterilization is described using so-called log units, which represent a measure of germ reduction. In a sterilization device according to Log 2, a maximum of 1000 germs out of 100,000 survive, while in a sterilization device according to Log 5, only one germ out of 100,000 survives. Within the scope of the invention, sterilization devices are provided which preferably enable at least sterilization according to Log 3, but preferably at least according to Log 4 or Log 5.

It is preferably provided that the sterile gas generation system is set up to sterilize the can lids with a chemical sterilizing agent. Chemical sterilizing agents are particularly suitable for a high degree of germ reduction. In particular, the sterilizing agent can be selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, chlorine dioxide and peracetic acid. In principle, it is also within the scope of the invention to irradiate the can lids, for example alternatively or additionally, with ultrasound and/or light, in particular UV light, although the effectiveness is often significantly lower than with chemical sterilizing agents, so that high log units in particular are not possible can be achieved. Particularly preferred is therefore an embodiment in which such radiation devices are provided in addition to chemical sterilization.

If the sterilization device is operated with a chemical sterilizing agent, it can also be provided to treat the can lids before introduction into the feed tunnel, in particular to remove residues of the sterilizing agent. For this purpose, for example, treatment with heat or warm air and/or treatment with water, in particular sterile water, can take place. Treatment with sterile water is particularly preferred for sterilization with peracetic acid and treatment with heat for treatment with hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ).

According to a further development of the invention, a process space is provided for the process control technology, the process space being separated from the product space via a partition wall. Process control technology refers to all media supply lines and media processes that are required to operate the product space and the closing device arranged in the product space. This includes in particular all electronic components and elements, e.g. a control unit or the like. The idea here is that the product room is isolated from the process control technology so that the product room can be cleaned as easily and completely as possible. In addition, the walls enclosing the product space in particular can be designed essentially without bends and notches, so that the possibility of germs adhering is also reduced. The partition wall preferably forms at least one wall of the product space.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the lid feeding devices and/or in particular the sterilization device are arranged above the product space. It should be noted that appropriate filling systems usually have a connected one Can sealing arrangement requires a relatively large installation space, so that the arrangement of the individual system components is sometimes problematic. By arranging the lid feeding device and in particular the sterilization device above the product space, the height of the can closing arrangement can also be used in a suitable manner. In addition, this also results in the best possible access to the product room. For example, access flaps or access openings can be provided in the side walls of the product space, through which access into the product space is possible. This allows maintenance of the closing device to be carried out in a simple manner.

In addition, according to such an embodiment, it can also be particularly preferably provided that the feed tunnel connects to the product space in an upper wall that delimits the product space. Such a configuration is particularly useful if the feed tunnel is designed as a feed chute. In such a case, the can lids are fed from the sterilization device into the product space exclusively by the can lids' own weight, with the can lids sliding down through the feed tunnel and thus being introduced into the product space.

The feed tunnel or the guide tracks arranged in the guide tunnel are particularly preferably curved. As a result, the can lids can, for example, be fed to the sterilization device essentially upright and then be introduced into the product space lying flat. In contrast to the product space, the can lids are fed into the sterilization device preferably via a sliding device, whereby the can lids are directly adjacent to one another and can thus be pushed together through direct contact.

Before being introduced into the sterilization device, it can also be provided that the can lids are separated. In the context of the invention, isolation means that immediately adjacent can lids are spaced apart from one another, the distance being chosen so that sufficient sterilizing agent can get into the gap.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sterile gas production system is a filtration system for generating sterile air. In this context, such filtration systems are also called fan filter units (FFU) or sterile air filters. In such filtration systems, the ambient air is passed through a very fine-pored filter, the filter being designed in such a way that even the smallest particles and germs can be removed from the ambient air. Such systems are also known, for example, from the field of clean room technology. The use of sterile air as a sterile gas is particularly advantageous in that only treatment of the ambient air is required and therefore no external generation of a specific gas is required. In addition, the sterile air can also be supplied to the product space in a suitable manner and removed with the cans from the can closing arrangement without any contamination of the ambient air.

According to a further development of the invention, a cleaning device for cleaning the feed tunnel is connected to the lid feed device. It was already pointed out previously that preferably no further devices for treating the can lids are arranged in the feed tunnel. Of course, it is possible to enable the feed tunnel to be cleaned using a cleaning device. For this purpose, the cleaning device can adjoin the feed tunnel via a line carrying cleaning agent. In particular, it is provided that one or more cleaning nozzles are arranged in the walls surrounding the guide tracks and via which the cleaning agent can be introduced into the feed tunnel.

The cleaning agent is in particular cleaning foam. Of course, it is also conceivable to introduce water into the feed tunnel for rinsing after treatment with the cleaning foam.

The feed tunnel preferably has a diameter between 50 mm and 200 mm, in particular between 60 mm and 120 mm. The size also depends in particular on how many guideways are arranged in the feed tunnel. In practice it has been shown that the formation of a second feed tunnel is particularly useful if there are more than two guideways.

To close the cans with a can lid, the closing device is designed in particular to connect the can lid to the can by folding. In a first step, the can lid is placed on the can and then folded on the can using an appropriate device. The closing device is preferably designed as a treatment star, with the cans being guided along a circular path and being closed during this transport. In principle, it is also conceivable that the closing device has several parallel treatments has lung tracks, the number of guide tracks being based on the number of treatment tracks of the closing device. If the closing device enables, for example, the parallel closing, in particular folding, of two cans, two guide tracks are also provided.

The invention furthermore relates to a can filling system with a filling machine for filling the cans with a filling medium and a can closing arrangement according to the invention adjacent to the filling machine, the filling machine being connected to the can closing arrangement on the output side via the transport device.

Consequently, the cans are first filled within the filling device and then transferred to the can closing arrangement via the transport device. The transport device is in particular a conveyor belt. In addition, it is conceivable that the transport device is also designed as a transport star. However, transport devices with a more linear transport direction have proven to be particularly advantageous, especially since, according to usual practice, the can closing arrangement has a linear feed of the cans.

The filling device can be a rotary machine, whereby the cans are arranged in a filling gyroscope and are filled with the filling medium during movement along a circular transport path. Such a design has proven to be particularly advantageous, particularly with regard to the installation space.

A further development of the invention further provides that the filling machine has a filling device arranged in a filling space and a second sterile gas generation system, which is connected to the filling space via a second line carrying sterile gas. Thus, not only are the cans closed, but also the cans are filled in a sterile gas atmosphere, with the second sterile gas generating system being designed analogously to the sterile gas generating system of the can closing arrangement.

If a corresponding second sterile gas generation system is provided, the sterile gas generation system of the can closing arrangement is referred to as the first sterile gas generation system within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the sterile gas-carrying line of the can sealing arrangement is a first sterile gas-carrying line.

The invention furthermore relates to a method for closing cans, in particular beverage cans, in a can closing arrangement according to the invention, wherein the can lids are fed to a sterilization device of the can closing arrangement and sterilized in the sterilization device and the can lids are then fed to the product space via the feed tunnel and via the closing device the cans are connected and the feed tunnel is in particular continuously flushed with sterile gas, in particular sterile air.

For this purpose, the sterile gas is generated in a sterile gas generation system. In particular, this is a filtration system that processes the ambient air into sterile air. The sterile gas, in particular the sterile air, is then supplied to the supply tunnel or the rinsing channel of the supply tunnel via a line carrying sterile gas.

As part of the method, reference can be made to all of the physical features of the can sealing arrangement described above. Due to the design according to the invention, it is now possible in the method to feed the sterile gas to the feed tunnel behind the sterilization device, so that the sterile gas only comes into contact with the already sterilized can lids.

According to a further development of the method, the can lids are separated before being fed into the sterilization device. As a result of the separation, adjacent can lids are spaced apart from one another so that the sterile gas can be introduced between the can lids.

The can lids are preferably sterilized within the sterilization device with a chemical sterilizing agent. The chemical sterilizing agents are in particular hydrogen peroxide, chlorine dioxide and/or peracetic acid. Following sterilization, a treatment to remove chemical residues from the can lids can also be provided. This treatment can be carried out, for example, by introducing heat or warm air but also by introducing water, in particular sterile water.

A preferred embodiment further provides that the can lids are guided in the feed tunnel along the at least two guide tracks arranged parallel to one another. This makes it possible to close two cans arranged next to each other in parallel.

A further development of the invention further provides that the cans are filled with a food-grade filling medium before being fed into the product space. A food technology filling medium refers to all filling media that are used in food technology. In particular, it concerns food and/or drinks. For example, these include water, soft drinks, juices and/or beer.

• 1 eine isometrische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Dosenfüllanlage,
• 2 eine Dosenverschließanordnung der Dosenfüllanlage gemäß der 1 in einer schematischen Darstellung,
• 3 eine alternative Ausgestaltung der Dosenverschließanordnung.

The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments. Show it:

• 1 an isometric representation of a can filling system according to the invention,
• 2 a can closing arrangement of the can filling system according to 1 in a schematic representation,
• 3 an alternative design of the can closing arrangement.

The 1 shows a can filling system according to the invention, which is designed in particular for food technology. It is preferably a filling system which fills cans 6 in a first step and then closes them. A filling machine 1 is provided for filling, the filling machine 1 being connected via a transport device 2 to a can closing arrangement 3, which is arranged directly next to the filling machine 1.

The can closing arrangement 3 has a product space 4 arranged in a housing, in which a closing device (not shown) for closing the cans 6 is arranged. The closing device is in particular a closing device which is designed to connect the can lids 5 to the cans 6 by folding.

The can closing arrangement 3 also has media lines 7 through which various fluids can be supplied. For example, it is possible to supply a protective gas, for example carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ), or a cleaning foam. It is also possible to add water for rinsing. The media lines 7 are part of a process control device, wherein the process control device is arranged within the can closing arrangement 3 in a process space 8, while the cans 6 are fed to a product space 4 for closing, and the process space 8 and the product space 4 are separated from one another via a partition 10 . This ensures that no dirt and germs can settle on the process control technology, which can lead to contamination of the filling media arranged in the cans 6. In addition, a particularly easy cleaning of the product space 4 is also possible.

The design according to the invention is based in particular on a comparison with 2 clearly visible. The core of this is to enable the cans 6 to be filled and closed as sterilely as possible. While the filling in the filling system 1 can, as is known, take place under clean room conditions, a separate sterilization within a sterilization device 11 is provided for the can lids 5. The can lids 5 are first inserted in a stacked manner into an input path 12, then separated and sterilized in an isolated manner within the sterilization device 11, the can lids 5 being spaced apart from one another in the course of the separation.

Sterilization takes place within the sterilization device 11 using a chemical sterilizing agent. These are in particular hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ), chlorine dioxide (ClO ₂ ) and/or peracetic acid. The can lids 5 are then treated to remove any residues of the sterilizing agent. This treatment can be carried out, for example, by introducing warm air and/or water, in particular sterile water.

The can lids 5 are then fed to a feed tunnel 13, which is curved and connects to the product space 4 via an upper wall 10. Accordingly, the sterilization device and also the lid feeding device 14 having the feed tunnel 13 are arranged above the product space 4.

The feed tunnel 13 has a guide track 15 for the can lids 5. This guide track 15 is curved and, solely due to the inherent force of the can lids 5, ensures that they can reach the product space 4.

In addition, the can closing arrangement 3 has a sterile gas generation system 16, which is designed as a filtration system and generates sterile air from the ambient air, which is then fed to a rinsing channel 18 via a line 17 carrying sterile gas. This flushing channel 18 encloses the guide track 5 and thus seals the can lids 5 from the environment during feeding into the product space 4. This ensures that no dirt or germs can adhere to the can lids 5 during feeding into the product space 4.

Cleaning nozzles are also arranged in the walls of the feed tunnel 13, which allow the introduction of cleaning foam and/or water. This enables effective cleaning of the feed tunnel 13. However, devices for treating the can lids 5 are not provided in the feed tunnel 13.

The sterile air also reaches the product space 4 via the rinsing channel 18 and can reach the outside via the product space 4 on both the input and output sides. This ensures that the product room 4 can also be operated under clean room conditions. An additional device for introducing sterile gas into the product space 4 is in principle possible, but not necessary.

The 3 shows a further development of the can closing arrangement 3 according to 2 . The design differs essentially in that two guide tracks 15 are now provided in the feed tunnel 13, so that two parallel feeds of can lids 5 are possible. Such a configuration is particularly useful if the closing device in the product space 4 is also set up to close cans 6 with a can lid 5 within two parallel lines.

Also according to such an embodiment, the guide tracks 15 are each surrounded by a flushing channel 18, so that the two guide tracks 15 are also separated from one another by sterile gas, in particular sterile air. Basically, it is within the scope of the invention that the two guideways 15 are each guided in their own feed tunnel 13. In such a case, both feed tunnels 13 must each be connected to the sterile gas generation system 16 via a line 17 carrying sterile gas.

Reference symbol list

1

filling machine

2

Transport facility

3

Can sealing arrangement

4

Product space

5

Can lids

6

cans

7

Media lines

8th

Process room

10

partition wall

11

Sterilization facility

12

Entrance railway

13

feed tunnel

14

Lid feeding device

15

guideway

16

Sterile gas generation system

17

Line carrying sterile gas

18

Flushing channel

Claims (19)

Can closing arrangement (3) with a closing device arranged in a product space (4) for closing cans (6), in particular beverage cans, with a can lid (5) and a lid feed device (14) connected to the product space (4), the lid feed device (14 ) has a feed tunnel (13), via which the product space (4) is connected to a sterilization device (11) for sterilizing the can lids (5), characterized in that a sterile gas generation system (16) is provided, which is connected on the output side via a line carrying sterile gas ( 17) is connected to the feed tunnel (13). Can closing arrangement (3). Claim 1 , characterized in that the feed tunnel (13) has at least one guide track (15), the guide track (15) being surrounded by a flushing channel (18) and the flushing channel (18) being connected to the line (17) carrying sterile gas. Can closing arrangement (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sterilization device (11) is set up to sterilize the can lids (5) with a chemical sterilizing agent. Can closing arrangement (3). Claim 3 , characterized in that the sterilizing agent is selected from the group of hydrogen peroxide, chlorine dioxide and peracetic acid. Can closing arrangement (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a process space (8) is provided for the process control technology, the process space (8) being separated from the product space (4) via a partition wall. Can closing arrangement (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lid feeding device (14) and/or the sterilization device (11) are arranged above the product space (4). Can closing arrangement (3). Claim 6 , characterized in that the Feed tunnel (13) connects to the product space (4) in an upper wall delimiting the product space (4). Can closing arrangement (3). Claim 7 , characterized in that the feed tunnel (13) is designed as a feed chute. Can closing arrangement (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sterile gas generating system (16) is a filtration system for generating sterile air. Can closing arrangement (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a cleaning device for cleaning the feed tunnel (13) connects to the lid feed device (14). Can closing arrangement (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the feed tunnel (13) has a diameter of 50 mm to 200 mm, in particular 60 mm to 120 mm. Can closing arrangement (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closing device is designed to connect the can lid (5) to the can (6) by folding. Can filling system with a filling machine (1) for filling the cans (6) with a filling medium and a can closing arrangement (3) adjacent to the filling machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the filling machine (1) has a transport device (2) on the output side the can closing arrangement (3) is connected. Can filling system Claim 13 , characterized in that the filling machine (1) has a filling device arranged in a filling space and a second sterile gas generation system, which is connected to the filling space via a second line carrying sterile gas. Method for closing cans (6), in particular beverage cans, in a can closing arrangement (3) according to one of Claims 1 until 12 , wherein the can lids (5) are fed to a sterilization device (11) of the can closing arrangement (3) and sterilized in the sterilization device (11), the can lids (5) then being fed to the product space (4) via the feed tunnel (13) and via the Closing device is connected to the cans (6) and the feed tunnel (13) is flushed with sterile gas, in particular sterile air. Procedure according to Claim 15 , characterized in that the can lids (5) are separated before being fed into the sterilization device (11). Procedure according to Claim 15 or 16 , wherein the can lids (5) are sterilized in the sterilization device (11) with a chemical sterilizing agent. Procedure according to one of the Claims 15 until 17 , wherein the can lids (5) are guided in the feed tunnel (13) along at least two guide tracks (15) arranged parallel to one another. Method according to one of the preceding Claims 15 until 18 , whereby the cans (6) were filled with a food-grade filling medium before being fed into the product space (4).

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